Teachers are Heroes.

I could write books about last Friday's awful car duty in the torrential downpour. Seriously. I thought I was prepared because I had a thick coat on, gloves and a ginormous umbrella. BUT NO. The rain came in sideways and hit me in the face, completely drenching every article of clothing I was wearing and getting the students wet too. We ran back and forth to try and save the students from getting soaked in the (oh did I mention?) FREEZING cold rain and kept at the efforts or a solid 30 minutes.

I have never had so much fun.

Okay, that was somewhat sarcastic, but also very true. I laughed with the students as we splashed our way through puddles to their warm, dry cars, and all the while, the teachers and I made jokes and smiled through it all, even though our teeth were chattering.

Furthering my relationships with these very influential people was so easy in this moment. We laughed together and served people in a very real way. Giving up our warmth and dry clothes for theirs.

One thing I did realize through this was the importance of administration and leadership through this time. So many of the teachers rallied their efforts to pull this thing off in the best possible way, but not a single person from the leadership of our school was out there with us. Some of the teachers were a little (okay a good bit) bitter at this. Usually at least one person from administration is out there with us, but this time, no one.

It hit them hard.

These teachers were cold, wet, and tired from a really long week, and they felt a little betrayed. They felt that it was unfair. Maybe it was? I don't think it's my place to say, but I do know the importance of being a teacher leader now (NCPTS 1). In this moment, you can choose to take the road that is easy where you just say what you're thinking aloud and everyone agrees with you. Or you can choose to keep your lips tightly shut and when its your turn to speak, they wait for your input, but there is none. I think that's a first step. The next would be to change the subject or give positive input about, "well that's a great story for the books one day!"

It's hard being the new kid. It's hard not really having a permanent place with the staff or with the students. But I am glad they're making an effort to include me; all of them. On one of the planning days, my CE, another 4th grade teacher, one of the EC teachers and me went to a cute local diner for lunch and just sat together. We enjoyed each other's presence and I felt like I belonged. They didn't have to invite me, but they did. They didn't have to tell me funny stories and the perks of being a teacher, but they did.

And even if you think all of these reasons are small...
I believe that teachers are heroes.